Belgian cyclist Frederiek Nolf has died in his sleep only hours after riding the fourth stage of the Tour of Qatar.

The 21-year-old was a member of the Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator team, which has now pulled out of the event. "Our thoughts are with Frederiek's family, his girlfriend and his mates," said a team statement.

As a mark of respect, Thursday's fifth stage has been shortened to 40km and neutralised, meaning that it will not be contested by the riders.

The rider won two time trials at the 2008 Tour and held the overall leader's yellow jersey for two days. Schumacher was banned from competing in France for two years by French anti-doping authorities last month.

International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid told a news conference: "Schumacher is now banned from activity from 22 January 2009 to 21 January 2011."

Agree with your post pretzels for I feel they will not allow him to coach since new or massive numbers are using drugs. There is possibly a NO to him to coaching. Still one has to wonder how will he & others have any form of income especially as he now has a dirty name to people that sponder athletes as well.

LANCE ARMSTRONG was yesterday making light of his latest run-in with French doping authorities that could possibly rule him out of the Tour de France.

But the allegations against him of misconduct in an anti-doping test taken last month are no joke, with officials considering punishing him because he breached protocol by leaving the tester's company to take a shower at the house he was renting in the south of France after a training ride on March 17.

Tests of the seven-time Tour winner's blood, urine and hair taken did not detect banned substances. But the Agence Francaise de Lutte contre le Dopage said Armstrong, who has been tested 24 times since announcing his comeback last September, could be punished because he "did not respect the obligation to remain under the direct and permanent observation" of the tester. Armstrong said he took a shower while his sports director, Johan Bruyneel, checked that the tester was bona fide and not "just some French guy with a backpack and some equipment".

Earlier this week, Armstrong vehemently denied he was evading the control. He labelled the accusation "outrageous" and said the tester gave him permission to have a shower that took 20 minutes.

Lance Armstrong was cleared Friday to ride in this year's Tour de France, health permitting, after the French anti-doping agency confirmed it would not be launching disciplinary procedures against the seven-time champion.

The agency opted not to take any action against the 37-year-old American in connection with an incident in the French Riviera town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer on March 17. Although Armstrong is recovering from breaking his collarbone in March, he has indicated he hopes to be ready for the Tour de France in July.

The incident occurred when Armstrong returned from a training ride to find a doping official at his French home. Armstrong asked that the official's credentials be confirmed by the International Cycling Union, the sport's world governing body, and while this was going on he was given permission by the official to take a shower.

Lance Armstrong admitted feeling the fear on Thursday’s rain-hit sixth stage of the Tour de France as wet conditions and slippery roads into Barcelona conspired to send riders tumbling.

Norwegian Thor Hushovd claimed the stage victory after what was a treacherous 181.5km of riding from Gerona to Barcelona during which more than a dozen riders were left battered and bruised after some heavy falls.

Saxo Bank’s Fabian Cancellara retained the race leader’s yellow jersey with a 0.22sec lead on seven-time Tour winner Armstrong ahead of the first day of climbing in the Pyrenees on Friday. Fear

Slippery roads--not a good prospect for drafting behind another person. Higher chance of road rash--tumbling onto the road in a collision.

An attempt to disrupt a cycle race by spreading tacks and drawing pins on the road has been described as "reckless and completely irresponsible". Police said metal screws and staples were also found on the road prior to the start of the Etape Caledonia cycle race in Highland Perthshire.

Hope they find this nutcase soon, because next time someone could be seriously hurt or killed. They close the road the day of the race, perhaps it should be closed the night before and have security keep an eye on it. Preventative medicine might save someone from a lot of grief on the day of the race.

Turn it up, turn it up, little bit higher radioTurn it up, turn it up, so you know, radio